Struggling to see the point of 6.5's

[Newtosavage]

I don't see the point of the 6.5 craze the old grumpy part of me says it's so rifle company's can sell more rifles. I really don't see myself killing anything with the new cartridges that I couldn't have just as well with my 7mm remingtion. I am the weak link if I do my part at distance especially there will be a dead animal that's easier for me when I have hunted with a certain rifle for the last 20 years. If buying every new round that comes down the pike makes you smile have at it, It's just not for me.

I suspect more than a few ‘06 owners said the same about the 7mm Rem when it was introduced.

 

[100 others]

I don't see the point of the 6.5 craze the old grumpy part of me says it's so rifle company's can sell more rifles. I really don't see myself killing anything with the new cartridges that I couldn't have just as well with my 7mm remingtion. I am the weak link if I do my part at distance especially there will be a dead animal that's easier for me when I have hunted with a certain rifle for the last 20 years. If buying every new round that comes down the pike makes you smile have at it, It's just not for me.

Completely agree. I've got a 7RM that I can reload to be better than many other famous cartridges at their own claim to fame. But we're not the target audience. Is the 6.5 PRC better than a 7/08? Yes, but not enough to throw your 7/08 in the trash and go drop $1k. I'm having the same argument over the new 7PRC. Its technically better, by a little, but its not enough for me to care since I already own a 7mm magnum. If I didn't, maybe it would be smart to look into it. I use the argument all the time that "it's not good enough to care" but understand that its the same way with cars and trucks. The old trucks still tow fine, but the new ones do it way easier and with better mileage. Little improvements add up over time, cartridges are just slower to make the big leaps.

 

[Rick M.]

I hope they keep innovating and putting out new cartridges. Yes, some of them may prove redundant or unnecessary, but I'm a fan of the tinkering and making small improvements and trying new things. I also enjoy buying, selling, and trading firearms and developing loads with them. One can never have too many guns.

 

[oldskool67]

The point of the newer 6.5’s are they are great for women, children, and recoil sensitive shooters. If you are none of the above and want a 6.5, I would suggest the .264 Win Mag

 

[gbflyer]

I have a couple of them. I like them. Sensible, efficient cartridge.

 

[z987k]

I'm a big fan of wildcats, and this bad boy looks incredible:

I'd never heard of the BD-2 prior to last night (only Barnes and Hammer). Sounds like they perform pretty well. I'll have to give them a shot. The LRX and TTSX haven't let me down yet, and I'm looking into the Hammers for next season (or I may try one on a whitetail for the Wisconsin holiday hunt).

Ya, I'm pretty tempted by that one to. The recoil would be minimal and impacts are going to be over 3000fps at hunting ranges.

 

[z987k]

They are all just tools.



It's not. It's the officials that we all elect. The executive branch does what it says - executes - the laws passed by the politicians that WE ALL elect.

And we are told what we can and can't use literally every day of our lives. So it's nothing new.

My primary interest in monos is their repeatable accuracy, followed closely by an interest in not putting any more lead into me or whatever eats my gut pile, than I have to. But if monos were not as accurate as they are, I wouldn't use them. But they are, so I do.

And folks, let's please do try to get this conversation off the lead/mono debate. If you want to argue that, start your own thread.

We solved your new cartridge problem. Build a 6PRC wildcat.

 

[z987k]

My biggest takeaway from the "223" thread is how they guys were able to get in tons of practice using their actual hunting system. The ammo is more abundant and relatively inexpensive. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that the system works for mono guys, but I'm willing to try. I also like the idea of having light enough recoil to stay on target through the shot and watch my impacts. No way I can do that with the 280 AI, as much as I love it. That would even be challenging with the 6.5 PRC.

Put a suppressor on your 280ai and you should be able to stay on target through the shot.

 

[Unckebob]

I hope they keep innovating and putting out new cartridges. Yes, some of them may prove redundant or unnecessary, but I'm a fan of the tinkering and making small improvements and trying new things. I also enjoy buying, selling, and trading firearms and developing loads with them. One can never have too many guns.

View attachment 484755

The firearms and ammo companies love people like you. To be frank, they love most of the people on the forum because most of us are the same way.

We churn our guns and buy new ones to replace perfectly good cartridges seeking the "perfect" solution.

We are not the people who, when offered a new hunting challenge, just grab the 243/308/'06 in the closet and go hunting.

 

[Newtosavage]

The firearms and ammo companies love people like you. To be frank, they love most of the people on the forum because most of us are the same way.

We churn our guns and buy new ones to replace perfectly good cartridges seeking the "perfect" solution.

We are not the people who, when offered a new hunting challenge, just grab the 243/308/'06 in the closet and ho hunting.

The .243 is just a wildcat of the .308 which is just a short '06. So really, if you're using anything besides the '06, you're a corporate tool.

 

[Forestryguy]

Lead in one form or another is an issue with shooting. Look at the rate of cancer within the Special Operations Community. There are a lot of munitions that get fired off within that group, at some point the amount of exposure has adverse effects.

I will be interested to hear the outcomes for the guys that are going to try the 6mm's. I am interested in how they do at the 400 yd range and very close ranges. Most of my whitetail shots are several yds to 200 yds.

Being able to spot your own impacts is an even better reason to use these smaller calibers. Especially if hunting alone. But, the brand new cartridges aren't really necessary to do so. The little I have looked at data the .243 is holding pretty well with a 6CM, the 7CM about the same as a 7 AI.

 

[Newtosavage]

Lead in one form or another is an issue with shooting. Look at the rate of cancer within the Special Operations Community. There are a lot of munitions that get fired off within that group, at some point the amount of exposure has adverse effects.

I will be interested to hear the outcomes for the guys that are going to try the 6mm's. I am interested in how they do at the 400 yd range and very close ranges. Most of my whitetail shots are several yds to 200 yds.

Being able to spot your own impacts is an even better reason to use these smaller calibers. Especially if hunting alone. But, the brand new cartridges aren't really necessary to do so. The little I have looked at data the .243 is holding pretty well with a 6CM, the 7CM about the same as a 7 AI.

The .243 does look better all the time.

 

[sndmn11]

The .243 is just a wildcat of the .308 which is just a short '06. So really, if you're using anything besides the '06, you're a corporate tool.

Back to your original question, I'd stick with the creedmoor. Our 140berger load is at 2850fps with Staball. That beats the factory 127 I think you said you have by a large margin.

Otherwise, I bet you could sell it at a profit.

 

[Newtosavage]

Back to your original question, I'd stick with the creedmoor. Our 140berger load is at 2850fps with Staball. That beats the factory 127 I think you said you have by a large margin.

Otherwise, I bet you could sell it at a profit.

Thanks. I will shoot it a bit more and decide later. I have plenty of time before next season.

Those 127 LRX's do group well. I pulled some from the factory rounds and loaded them over IMR 4350 and Hunter and was able to duplicate the factory velocities. However 2760 was the best I could do, so I probably need to try some StaBall.

I also just ordered my Christmas gift - a Stocky's CF stock for the Savage 10/110 and I'll drop this 6.5 CM barreled action into it with a lightweight scope. Should come out around 6.25 lbs. all in. With a rifle that light, I'm not sure I want a lot more recoil than the CM offers.

I was shooting my .308 yesterday with those hot 150 TTSX loads and out of curiosity I ran the recoil numbers. That rifle, all in, is only 6 lbs. 12 oz. and with that load I'm getting over 23 ft. lbs. of recoil. LOL

 

[JGRaider]

The point of the newer 6.5’s are they are great for women, children, and recoil sensitive shooters. If you are none of the above and want a 6.5, I would suggest the .264 Win Mag

Add this to the "dumb post of the day" threads.

 

[General RE LEE]

Lighter recoil

High BC bullets with excellent sectional density

Many times a 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge can be loaded close to the lands and still fit in magazine.

 

[Macintosh]

We accomplish those parameters with TTSX or LRX with 30-06 in 130, 168, and 180(factory). 7-08 in 145. 6.5creed in 127.

We don't get there with factory 120ttsx in 7-08 but their factory load is 100fps slower than the 145 hand load.

Sorry, Im not certain Im following you. You accomplish staying above 2200fps past 400 yards with factory-loaded 30-06 130, 168 and 180 grain copper, and with a 145gr handload copper in 7mm08 youre getting 100fps faster than barnes 120gr factory loads (advertised at 3005fps)? 6.5 127’s, is that a handload or factory lrx? I have no doubt, and I know with handloading any of these cartridges can probably be hot-rodded, it’s just that performance isnt reflected in barnes factory-loaded ammo according to their own published info. I would be curious in which factory loads you are getting those results as its significantly better than Im seeing. Ex, Barnes 30-06 factory 168gr ttsx published info says 400yd velocity is 2116fps, and my trued data from strelok says Im at 2058fps at 400 yards. I’m curious if you have a particularly fast barrel, if its just environmentals, or if Im misunderstanding what you are saying?

Regardless, do you feel my overall conclusion was wrong?

 

[sndmn11]

Sorry, Im not certain Im following you. You accomplish staying above 2200fps past 400 yards with factory-loaded 30-06 130, 168 and 180 grain copper, and with a 145gr handload copper in 7mm08 youre getting 100fps faster than barnes 120gr factory loads (advertised at 3005fps)? 6.5 127’s, is that a handload or factory lrx? I have no doubt, and I know with handloading any of these cartridges can probably be hot-rodded, it’s just that performance isnt reflected in barnes factory-loaded ammo according to their own published info. I would be curious in which factory loads you are getting those results as its significantly better than Im seeing. Ex, Barnes 30-06 factory 168gr ttsx published info says 400yd velocity is 2116fps, and my trued data from strelok says Im at 2058fps at 400 yards. I’m curious if you have a particularly fast barrel, if its just environmentals, or if Im misunderstanding what you are saying?

Regardless, do you feel my overall conclusion was wrong?

The factory 30-06 180ttsx stays above the velocity/distance you had mentioned. The rest of what I Iisted are handloads, and are not hot.

The 120ttsx in 7-08 does not, and I forgot that also the 120 e-tip in 6.5cm from federal does not.

These are above 8000' for elevation.

I don't think it's a barrel thing as I load for several rifles. I do think that factory loads, especially in long standing cartridges, are well below where they should be.

I forgot what your conclusion was, but we probably agree on the velocity floor even though I seem to have different data at the muzzle.

 

[fwafwow]

Add this to the "dumb post of the day" threads.

Fudd trap

 

[sbaker0029]

The .243 is just a wildcat of the .308 which is just a short '06. So really, if you're using anything besides the '06, you're a corporate tool.

And if you're using the .30-'06, which came from the .30-'03 Government, you're far from a corporate tool and entering into the realms of government slave sheep that just does and says what They tell you to do and think.